


saturdays, amirite?

by commonbay



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Conversations, F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Getting Together, Morning After, Romance, aka the walk of shame au, kind of, most of them are in grad school, there's really no shame though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24353239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commonbay/pseuds/commonbay
Summary: Dorothea runs into Edelgard a little too early on a Saturday morning. An invitation to tea evolves into a conversation neither of them expected to have with surprising results.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault & Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra (mentioned)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 251





	saturdays, amirite?

**Author's Note:**

> My first work in the FE3H fandom. I just had to get this idea out of my system. Special thanks to [augustfai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/augustfai/profile) for being an awesome beta and listening to me vent about this story for 5 months.

Dorothea slipped out of bed quietly as she had been doing for the past few weeks since this all started. She searched the floor for her clothes, picking up pieces and putting them on without waking the other person sleeping in the room.

Petra Macneary was still deep in slumber and as naked as she had been last night when they fell into bed together. Dorothea finished dressing and tried to fix her hair, combing through her locks with her fingers. She stole a glance at the small mirror on Petra’s dresser and frowned when she realized she couldn’t do anything about her lack of makeup. It would take too long.

“This will have to do,” Dorothea sighed. She picked up her purse and pressed a soft kiss on Petra’s warm cheek, right below the bright tattoo that Dorothea loved to trace with her fingers. The other girl shifted in her sleep, murmuring words in Brigid; and Dorothea couldn’t stop the smile that formed on her lips. She had to learn about distant lands like Brigid for her degree in International Relations, but she found that she enjoyed hearing about it from Petra who always spoke with so much love and passion for her homeland. After one last look at the sleeping girl’s form, Dorothea closed the door with a soft click with her mind drifting to thoughts of tropical beaches and endless seas and magenta hair swaying in the sea-salt breeze.

The grounds of Fodlan University’s Garreg Mach campus were mostly empty on Saturday mornings, especially when it was barely past dawn. Dorothea managed to leave the undergrad dorms without running into anyone. With a quick flash of her student ID and signature by her name on the guest log, the half-asleep RA at the desk didn’t pay her much mind at all.

On the morning after the first time they slept together, Petra had asked Dorothea to stay a while longer. The younger woman even promised breakfast, but Dorothea was much too preoccupied with the fact that she slept with Petra. Petra was sweet and kind and made sure Dorothea was okay with everything she did as things progressed. There was a sureness to her touch; it was always soft, though not too gentle like Dorothea was a fragile, fleeting thing she had won for the night. Yet even with the growing confidence that eclipsed Petra’s initial clumsiness, she didn’t treat Dorothea like a prize or like some public figure whose life belonged to others. Petra always asked what Dorothea wanted, how Dorothea wanted.

Petra was also attentive and smart and engaging as Dorothea had learned over tea breaks and late-night conversations that dotted the course of their friendship. Going to bed with her felt like an inevitability—not so much a “what if” but a “when will”—like watching a play and knowing the flow of its acts. There was just one complication to their situation: Petra was the princess of a country, Brigid’s very own heir apparent. Sex with her was fine if it had been a one time thing, but Dorothea had felt the sincerity in her kisses and had seen the earnestness in her gaze and Dorothea should’ve stopped things despite her own body’s wants. She should’ve, but she didn’t, and she learned just how intoxicating Petra’s kisses were and how delightfully sweet the taste of her heat felt on Dorothea’s tongue.

When Dorothea woke up sore, sated, and slightly disoriented by her surroundings, Petra asked her to stay for breakfast and cuddles; and Dorothea declined as gently as she could and all but ran out of Petra’s dorm. Dorothea had been determined that it stopped there. That resolve only lasted a few days. A chance encounter by the dining hall led to Petra’s apologies for what she assumed she’d done wrong, and Dorothea couldn’t allow her to think it was her fault. She invited Petra back to her dorm so they could talk it out, which eventually led to Dorothea pushing the young woman down on her bed and showing how much her body appreciated Petra’s efforts. The occasional hookup led to regular sleepovers to the point that they now knew each other’s schedules of classes and activities with nights traded between their dorms.

Dorothea made her way through the winding paths of the large campus toward the cluster of graduate student housing. Her shift at the library didn’t start until after lunch, so there was still some time for her to start on homework for the weekend and get some reading done for her thesis. _Playing Parts: How Culture, Performance, and Policies of a Unified Fodlan Influence the World_ wasn’t going to write itself, no matter how many times Dorothea wished it would.

Sometimes it still felt somewhat unreal to Dorothea to be a student at the most prestigious university in the whole continent, even after nearly six years of studies. Yet after all those years there were still rumors and talks of her place at the school despite the fact that she was close to the end of her masters. Hearing them didn’t affect her as much as they used to back when she first started studying, thanks to her group of friends and her own academic efforts. But some days those words would make their way back into her mind like remnants of a song with lyrics forgotten but melody clear, and Dorothea could still hear the whispers of students who judged her.

_A girl like her didn’t belong at Garreg Mach._

_How did a theater actress even get admitted?_

_She’d be better off singing and looking pretty onstage._

Dorothea shook those thoughts away and thought about Petra instead. They’d been sleeping together for almost a month after knowing each other for much longer; and after an evening of drinking with her cohort and friends, Dorothea just had to stumble into Petra’s dorm drunk and question their relationship. Petra had been patient and listened to everything Dorothea had to say during her inebriated rambling. When words were done and a few tears had been shed, Petra sat beside Dorothea, took her hand, and said, “You are filling my heart full. Every night we are together is making me happy.”

“Because of all the orgasms?” Dorothea teased.

“Yes,” Petra answered, ever so serious but with a hint of a smile on her lips, “but also because you are always so kind. You are having care...I mean, you care for people.”

Petra had taken Dorothea’s hands and pressed kisses to her palms and knuckles before planting two soft ones at the pulse points of her wrist. “I am not believing my fortune of meeting someone wonderful like you.”

Petra’s words and her actions that followed ended any doubts Dorothea had regarding their relationship.

The heat of a blush made its way across Dorothea’s cheeks, and she smiled as she continued to think about last night. Soon they would make their relationship known to their friends. They agreed to it last night after Dorothea had sobered up and they talked some more. They confirmed it a few more times with Petra’s fingers and mouth working wonders on Dorothea’s body.

Distracted by the memory and pleasures of the night before, Dorothea didn’t notice someone rounding the corner of the graduate housing’s greenhouse pathway just as it merged with the sidewalk. Dorothea heard a surprised yelp as something slammed into her side, and she cried out as they both tumbled onto the dewy grass.

“What the—“ The first thing Dorothea noticed was the sight of light brown hair spread over her face. A second later, she was face to face with a shocked and blushing Edelgard. “Edie?”

Edelgard pushed up and off Dorothea, standing and offering a hand out. “I apologize for that, Dorothea. I...I wasn’t paying much attention.”

Dorothea laughed as she stood and brushed bits of grass off her dress. “Oh don’t worry about it,” she assured Edelgard. “Where are you off to so early in the morning?”

Edelgard’s face blushed redder, piquing Dorothea’s curiosity. Ever since they met as dorm neighbors in Black Eagle Hall, Dorothea had never seen Edelgard get flustered—except for one incident in Advanced Magical Weaponry which involved a certain TA with whom Edelgard became quite infatuated for the entire year they had required classes with Professor Nabatea.

At that thought, Dorothea took in Edelgard’s appearance. They’d seen each other at Sylvain’s party last night and even spent a few rounds downing peach-flavored shooters together. Edelgard was still wearing the crimson cocktail dress, though somewhat rumpled from all the hours that had passed. Her signature brown-and-white ombré hair was set to a side ponytail Dorothea knew was Edelgard’s go-to when she had no time to put it up in an intricate bun.

Dorothea grinned. “Or should I ask where have you been?”

Edelgard’s face was almost as red as her dress, and Dorothea wouldn’t have believed Edelgard capable of it had she not seen it herself. Edelgard shifted her attention away, picking bits of grass off her own dress as she avoided Dorothea’s gaze. “I was just...out for a morning run.”

Dorothea didn’t bother stifling her snort of laughter. “Edie, that’s the same dress from last night. And there’s a hickey on your neck.”

Edelgard let out the most undignified squeak Dorothea ever heard and slapped a hand over the bruising mark, looking all the more guilty for knowing exactly where it stained her pale skin. But Dorothea already knew too much, and the indignant look on Edelgard’s face meant a good story was coming. While Edelgard seemed rather reserved when it came to most people, she was very much an open book for her friends to read once she put her trust in them. With a little bit of patience, Dorothea would hear all about Edelgard’s night soon.

Since Dorothea’s smirk refuses to go away, Edelgard sighed in resignation. “Alright,” Edelgard relented with a slump of her shoulders. “But can we talk somewhere a little more private?”

Grabbing Edelgard’s hand, Dorothea led them back down the path away from the housing section. “Let’s chat over tea,” she told her friend. “My treat.”

Homework and thesis research can wait. For the first time in the course of their friendship, Edelgard von Hresvelg got laid; and Dorothea Arnault was going to be the first person to hear all about it.

•••

When Edelgard woke up over an hour ago, she thought the dozens of text messages and several missed calls from Hubert were the worst way anyone would find out about her night sleeping with Byleth Eisner. But as Dorothea led her to the coffee shop by the graduate dorm buildings, Edelgard berated herself for not preparing for any other scenario.

And this? This was probably the worst case scenario. No one in Garreg Mach had the dangerous level of perception that made Dorothea such a well-informed individual when it came to personal matters. Her sincere kindness and charm also made conversations flow with such remarkable ease that people felt comfortable sharing personal information with the former theater star. It fit well with Dorothea’s aspirations of becoming a diplomat, but if she ever decided to shift her focus on international security and intelligence, she would make a frighteningly efficient spy.

Despite all that, Edelgard decided she would try to hold out as long as possible or until she can escape from this sudden chat over morning tea.

The cafe’s door chimed as Dorothea pushed it open and ushered Edelgard inside. Since it was still early on a Saturday, there were just a few people inside. Someone sat half-asleep at a table by the window, laptop open and papers scattered all over the tabletop and seats, obviously in the last leg of an all-nighter. Another person still in their pajamas stood waiting for their drinks at the end of the bar. It was a rare sight to see students up at this time, especially grad students as many would’ve been out the night before, but there were the select few who had morning shifts at various parts of the school or research data to turn in for the week.

Unfortunately for Edelgard, the two people working the earliest shift at the cafe happened to be people she knew. Ingrid and Ignatz waved over to her and Dorothea from behind the counter. How could they function this early in the morning after all the drinking they did last night? She distinctly remembered seeing Ignatz half passed out on the edge of the beer pong table after he and Ingrid lost to Felix and Sylvain for the third time last night.

They took a table in the far corner, private enough but close to the window to seem almost like a casual chat over morning coffee.

“I’ll get our drinks,” Dorothea said, picking her wallet out from her purse. “The usual tea latte for you, Edie?”

Edelgard nodded and watched as Dorothea went about getting drinks. While Ingrid and Ignatz attended to Dorothea, Edelgard glanced at her phone and saw that Hubert’s barrage of inquiring messages hadn’t stopped. To tide him over, she replied that she went out for breakfast with Dorothea and that she would entertain his questions later.

Just as she put her phone facedown on the table, she noticed Dorothea approaching with a tray holding two cups. Having her tea placed in front of her, Edelgard took the cup and gently blew into the steamy blend. She slowly sipped her drink and relished the warm, bold, citrusy flavor of her tea. It also served as a way to hide the grin on her face as she thought about the woman who occupied her night.

But that smile faded as she placed her cup down and saw Dorothea’s knowing smirk.

“Seems like you had quite a good evening, Edie.” Dorothea liked to jump right into the heart of things, a wonderful quality to have in class when students like Caspar liked to go off on tangents, but not so wonderful for Edelgard this early in the morning.

If Edelgard wanted to get through this conversation without divulging every single detail of her night, she had to use every tactic she knew to deflect Dorothea’s developed techniques. She took stock of Dorothea’s appearance and realized she, too, wore the same outfit she had at the party. Nothing else seemed out of place, but really what other reason did she have to be out at this hour of the morning in night-old clothes?

“I could assume the same for you,” she stated, keeping her voice an even calm.

A blush colored Dorothea’s cheeks and her pointed gaze seemed to soften. Edelgard caught the infatuated look for just a moment before Dorothea’s theater training took effect and turned her expression back to teasing.

“Oh you know me,” she said nonchalantly. “A date’s a date.”

The princess did know her, and this wasn’t the Dorothea who showed up after a date—no matter how successful. That Dorothea always seemed excited at the prospect of romance, but never with the near-shy look that had passed. Could this be...

Edelgard would hold onto her discovery a little longer. It might just save her from exposing her potential romance and the passionate events of last night.

“This date left you in a good mood,” Edelgard noted, lifting her cup to drink some more.

Dorothea’s sly smile appeared again. “And yours left you quite sore, I believe.”

Had it not been for the secure hold she had on her cup, Edelgard would’ve dropped it as she sputtered into her warm tea.

“Oh dear, Edie,” Dorothea said with at least some toneof mild apology in her voice. “Here let me help you wipe that up.” The singer leaned forward with a handful of napkins and dapped at the spilled tea on the table.

Edelgard blushed, sure that her outburst attracted the attention of the few occupants of the cafe. “It’s alright, Dorothea,” she said, wiping at the droplets that fell to her chest and arms. Thankfully her dress remained stainless. Swallowing what’s left of her remaining pride, Edelgard decided to just let Dorothea have this win. “How did you know?”

Leaving the used napkins to side, Dorothea leaned back and took a sip of her own drink. “Your gait was off,” she answered, “and you winced when you sat down.” She placed her drink down and regarded Edelgard with an understanding expression. “I’ve been there.”

Edelgard’s face felt as warm as her drink. She’d known her older siblings to share their own stories of romance, and her sisters loved to pull Edelgard into their conversations to ask her of her own experiences. She, however, could barely give them anything as she had little interest in the advances of young nobles from her high school.

Sitting in front of Dorothea, Edelgard felt torn. She wanted to tell her friend so many things, like the delightful kisses and soft touches; but she also wanted to guard her memories of the night a little longer, keep it just between Byleth and herself a little longer. She was giddy with knowledge that Byleth chose her and words threatened to burst from her lips so that one other person may know what she did with the woman who kept her attention for years. And she was hesitant to share it with anyone else so soon. She was nervous with frail, delicate hope for whatever it was between them to turn into something beyond one night. Edelgard yearned for it to seep deeper into their hearts, bloom into something lovely and beautiful that’s theirs. But she’d also learned that to hope could lead to disappointment—she’d seen it in the false, deceptive promises of the ambitious who tried to woo her siblings.

As Edelgard opened her mouth to respond, her phone began vibrating repeatedly against the table’s wooden surface.

“Could it be last night’s lover calling?” Dorothea teased. And as much as Edelgard wished to ignore that, the thought of Byleth contacting her made her curious and excited. She wouldn’t hold a long conversation with Byleth in front of Dorothea, but she wanted to at least hear her sleep-rough voice.

Turning the phone over, though, proved to be a disappointment.

“It’s Hubert,” Edelgard said flatly, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. Honestly this was becoming too much. She rejected the call and put her phone back down. But it began to vibrate again with the broody man’s name popping up on her screen.

Dorothea raised a brow. “What did you do to make Hubert call so much?” she wondered. “I thought the hourly check-ins stopped in sophomore year.”

Edelgard shrugged. She found Hubert a bit too much sometimes. He meant well, she knew, but he could get overprotective. She rejected his call again and typed out another message.

_You can confirm my whereabouts with Dorothea if you wish_

Looking back at Dorothea, Edelgard caught sight of that calculating look when her friend pieced rumors and gossip together to find the truth about people. And her expression rapidly shifted from understanding to shock to a remarkable mix of horror and amusement.

“Edie, did you sleep with Ferdie?” she shouted, loud enough that everyone in the cafe surely heard.

Edelgard winced as she thought of the possibility that Ingrid would pass this absurd conclusion to her friend, Edelgard’s stepbrother Dimitri. Who would tell their mother. Who would tell her father. Who would have very strong feelings about his daughter, a princess, cavorting with the prime minister’s son. And her siblings would never let her hear the end of it.

“Of course not!” Edelgard immediately denied, making sure her volume reached the blonde barista behind the counter.

With a sigh of relief, Dorothea’s form relaxed to lean back into her seat. “Oh thank the goddess. Ferdie’s a nice boy, but he seems a better match for Hubert.”

“Agreed.” Edelgard nodded and chuckled. “Hubert’s just worried since I left the party and didn’t tell him.”

Dorothea shared a laugh. “That would do it.” At that moment, Dorothea’s own phone chimed and she shook her head, smiling at the screen. “He’s asking if you’re with me and wants proof.” Angling her phone up, Dorothea snapped a selfie with Edelgard to send to Hubert.

Edelgard took note of their state of dress. “Hubert will wonder why we’re still wearing the same clothes from last night.”

“I’ll just tell him we had some fun,” Dorothea replied with a wink.

Edelgard’s face grew much too warm for her liking. “Dorothea!” she protested.

Dorothea laughed and stood up, walking over to bend beside Edelgard’s chair. Their faces took up most of the screen and looked candid enough with no traces of either of their evening rendezvous.

“There. Sent our picture to Hubie.”

“Thank you.”

Dorothea waved it off. “No need for that. Now, I believe you were going to tell me all about your exciting night.”

Edelgard laughed and shook her head. “Oh? I believe you were about to tell me about yours.”

“There’s nothing to tell, really.”

“We’ve known each other for five years, Dorothea. You’ve always had something to say about your dates even when they’re the most boring people on the planet.”

Dorothea hummed, her expression shifting once again to that wistful tenderness. And once again it was a fleeting thing as a darker countenance appeared, one that Edelgard knew well. Uncertainty marked Dorothea’s lovely face as it had done whenever something bothered her, which usually stemmed from her lack of self-esteem. Whenever it happened, Edelgard was ready to step in and support her friend in whatever way possible.

“Tell me what’s on your mind,” Edelgard prompted. Moments like this required a slow approach and, for Edelgard, use of persuasion skills honed from years of studies at the Royal Academy of Enbarr. Dorothea was always quick and willing to help others, even back when they were barely acquaintances. But when it came to her own problems, Edelgard learned that Dorothea kept a lot of her negative feelings and heavy doubts to herself. She would open up eventually, but Edelgard wanted to reassure her that she had a safe space to talk if she wanted to.

Dorothea sipped her tea, brows still pinched together with her troubles. After she placed her cup back down on the saucer, she dropped her head into her hands and groaned.

“Edie, I think I’m in love.”

While Edelgard expected something like Dorothea’s genuine infatuation with the person she accompanied last night, she certainly did not anticipate this turn in their conversation.

There’s a first for everything, Edelgard thought, as last night proved. So if she had to give Dorothea Arnault relationship advice, well, let it be known that Edelgard von Hresvelg would do her best for her friend.

•••

The conversation didn’t go exactly as Dorothea planned—and she certainly hadn’t planned to expose the intensity of her feelings regarding Petra.

But this was Edelgard, a woman who once spent the night sleeping on a couch in the Black Eagle Hall common room because she didn’t want Dorothea to pull an all-nighter by herself. Edelgard, who always extended an invite to Dorothea every school holiday. Edelgard, who protected secrets and offered honesty whenever her friends asked.

In Dorothea’s mind, there was no better person to talk to about her emotions than Edelgard. She looked up to meet the other woman’s unassuming stare and took a deep breath to prepare.

“I’ve been sleeping with someone,” Dorothea started. “And it’s getting very serious.”

Edelgard nodded, taking a sip of her drink to allow Dorothea to continue.

Dorothea ran her fingers through her loose hair, a nervous habit Petra pointed out one night as they worked on essays in the library. “I’m scared because I’ve never been in a relationship like this, or any serious relationship really, with someone like...”

Dorothea paused with Petra’s name perched on her lips. It would be so easy to reveal her lover’s name to Edelgard, to let it free from the secret nights spent together and lingering touches in public. However, they’d agreed to do it together; and Dorothea wasn’t sure how to talk about dating royalty with, well, royalty. Not the way it was between her and Petra. For all the fame and money she gained during her time as one of the most popular actresses in all of Enbarr and even Adrestia, Dorothea still carried the memories and experiences of growing up in the streets and with them the insecurities and wounds that weighed heavily in her mind.

Dorothea’s lips twisted into a wry smile. “Well, let’s just say we come from two very different backgrounds.”

Edelgard tilted her head to the side. “Different? How so?”

“You know how I grew up, Edie. It wasn’t an ideal childhood, and far from upper class upbringing.”

“And this person you’re seeing...” Edelgard paused as her eyebrows knit together, lips curving into a slight frown. “Do they have a problem with that? Dorothea, if they said something about it, I’m going to—“

“No!” Dorothea stopped Edelgard before the princess began to plan revenge on her behalf. “No, they didn’t say anything about it. But others might. Their family, friends, people at this school. Everyone has something to say about me, even after I’ve quit theater, and they’ll definitely have more when they hear about this.”

Dorothea continued to nervously stroke her hair, watching Edelgard’s steady, thoughtful expression. Finally, Edelgard responded with a simple question. “Do you care?”

_No_ , the answer immediately appeared in Dorothea’s mind as her heart thudded hard at the thought of what she really cared about: Petra.

“No,” Dorothea echoed out loud as the sudden sureness of her resolves felt nearly overwhelming. For all her confidence around others, Dorothea still very much had bouts of insecurity when she was by herself and occasionally around the closest of her friends. But this thing with Petra, so precious and so new to her, was something Dorothea realized she wanted so much. And damn what other people think because all that mattered was how Petra felt about her and how she felt about Petra.

Edelgard studied Dorothea for a moment; and if Dorothea hadn’t known her for years, she would feel uneasy at the sharp, unwavering scrutiny of the Adrestian princess. Whatever Edelgard saw in Dorothea’s expression seemed to suit the answer she’d given and Edelgard nodded, her gaze shifting to a softer expression. “Good.”

Edelgard reached for her tea and Dorothea noticed what little was left. She was about to offer to treat Edelgard to another cup when the cafe’s door chimed. And before Dorothea could say anything, she saw shock widen in Edelgard’s eyes and the tea that she just sipped came out in a spray—right into Dorothea’s face and dress.

“Edie, what—“ Before Dorothea could finish her question, Edelgard already stood, gaping in the direction of the door. She watched her friend stomp over and realized Hubert had entered...with none other than Byleth Eisner beside him.

“Lady Edelgard,” Dorothea heard Hubert say.

Edelgard stomped past him and took Byleth’s hand. “Hubert. Outside. Now.”

Byleth said nothing as she followed Edelgard out the door, their hands intertwined; and Hubert’s face an image of displeasure—which could be mistaken for his usual look of disinterest but Dorothea knew better—as he wordlessly went after the two women. Dorothea grabbed her things, as well as Edelgard’s purse which had been left behind, and tried to wipe the table clean of Edelgard’s spilled tea. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ingrid’s voice came from the counter. “Ignatz and I can clean up.”

Dorothea sent them her thanks and apologies and headed towards the door.

“Sorry again for all the trouble,” she said as she made to leave. “You know how it is.”

Ingrid shook her head and Ignatz shot her one of his ever so kind smiles. “You Black Eagle kids never change,” Ingrid answered with a chuckle.

Dorothea stepped out and spotted Edelgard pacing in front of a bench where Hubert sat looking slightly sullen—well as sullen as Hubert can look while being reprimanded. Edelgard must have said some very choice words to make him look that way considering Hubert’s reputation for being able to handle any and all sorts of things without expressing anything beyond his pride to serve Edelgard and her family in some way.

As Dorothea approached them, she began to make out what Edelgard had to say.

“—is my business and none of yours. No matter what my father or brothers said. To even go as far as locating my phone. Stalking, Hubert, I could have you arrested for stalking! And I am just about angry enough to—“

Dorothea was about to step in and say something to calm Edelgard because the poor girl’s anger made her face look just about as red as her dress, and she also felt bad for Hubert who was also a friend. But before she could get a word out, Byleth stood up from the bench and reached out to Edelgard, her hand settling gently on the younger woman’s shoulder. Byleth leaned in close to Edelgard, whatever she said too quiet for Dorothea to hear, but the actress did take note of Hubert’s further displeasure at the casual way their former TA interacted with Edelgard.

“Hubie, don’t look so glum.” She decided teasing him would distract him from whatever was going on between the other women.

“Good morning, Dorothea,” he greeted, his head turning just so slightly to regard her.

“Good morning,” Dorothea answered with a slight grin. “And good morning, Byleth. It’s a surprise to see you here.”

Edelgard and the older woman stopped whispering between each other, and Byleth smiled at Dorothea. “Hello, Dorothea.”

It was fairly obvious by now just who occupied Edelgard’s night; and Dorothea allowed the bubbling giddiness within her to surface, smiling broadly at Edelgard. She punctuated her thoughts with a knowing glance at Byleth, and Edelgard sighed as her cheeks flashed red again.

“You all obviously know each other,” Edelgard pointed out. “Although I do not approve of going to people’s houses this early in the morning to threaten and interrogate them.” She cast a sharp look at Hubert who looked appropriately chastised to Dorothea’s surprise.

Sensing Edelgard’s annoyance coming out once more, Dorothea sat down on the bench beside Hubert and hooked her arm around his. “Since we’re all here, why don’t we grab something to eat? I’m famished.”

Byleth nodded. “I wouldn’t mind.”

Edelgard seemed to consider the consequences of sharing a meal with not just her friends but with her crush-turned-lover as well. To ease her worries, Dorothea turned to Hubert, arming herself with her charm and smile.

“We can even call Ferdie. I’m sure he’d love a good Saturday morning breakfast with us, wouldn’t he Hubie?”

At Hubert’s blush and his moment of hesitation, Dorothea knew she caught him in her plan. “He would...I assume.” 

She looked at Edelgard once more, knowing it was a risk to bring Ferdinand into the mix, so Dorothea decided to offer something else. “I might be able to convince someone else to join us.”

Edelgard’s brows pinched in confusion before raising in shock. “You mean...?”

Dorothea winked. “I’m sure I could give them a call and ask.”

Edelgard spent just a few short moments in thought before nodding her own agreement. “I suppose breakfast would be a fine way to spend our morning together.” Dorothea didn’t say anything when she noticed Edelgard’s hand subtly brush against Byleth’s. And if Hubert saw it too, he thankfully didn’t say anything either.

“Wonderful!” Dorothea exclaimed as she stood up. “Why don’t we all freshen up and meet at the Airmid Fry in half an hour?”

Everyone nodded their agreement—Edelgard added an apology for spraying her tea all over Dorothea—and headed off towards the graduate housing. Hubert veered off in the direction of Ferdinand’s building, giving the women a curt bow before turning to leave. Dorothea hid her grin when Byleth followed them into their building and offered to wait in the lobby.

“Nonsense,” Edelgard told her, the tips of her ears tinged pink. “You can come to my room and have a seat there.”

Dorothea bit back all the teasing remarks she wanted to say but left the two of them alone with one reminder. “You two better not be late for breakfast because you decide to continue where you left off last night.” She headed to the elevator before Edelgard could recover from her flustered state. Even Byleth had a hint of a blush on her cheeks and Dorothea considered that an accomplishment.

When Dorothea entered her room, she took her phone out and dialed Petra’s number.

“Hello, dearest.” The sound of Petra’s voice never failed to make Dorothea smile.

“Hi, Petra. Are you done with your run?” Dorothea asked as she moved about to get a new set of clothes ready.

“Yes,” Petra answered. “I will be getting breakfast soon.”

“Would you like to get breakfast with me and a few friends?”

“I would be liking that,” came Petra’s cheerful reply. “Sharing meals with friends sounds wonderful.”

Dorothea put Petra in speaker as she continued to get ready, the two of them talking about other plans for the weekend. From Petra’s end, it seemed as if she was already outside and heading to the Airmid to meet Dorothea.

“Petra,” Dorothea fought to keep herself from sounding too nervous. “Do you think you can pick me up?”

“Of course,” Petra immediately replied. “I will be waiting for you downstairs.”

“Thank you.” Dorothea paused as she gathered her keys and her purse and headed out. “Actually, this breakfast...”

Dorothea felt her face heat up as she thought about what this would mean for them. For her and Petra. As an official couple.

“Dorothea?” Petra’s concerned voice brought her back to their conversation.

“Sorry,” Dorothea said, stopping right by the elevator. “The thing is, the other people at this breakfast. They’re all involved.”

“Involved in what way?”

“With each other.”

“I do not have understanding.”

“We’re having breakfast with other couples.” Dorothea wondered if Edelgard and Byleth were going in that direction. From the looks of things earlier, it seemed as though it wasn’t just a one time thing for her friend. And as for Hubert and Ferdinand, that was a whole other level of confusion entirely. “Or everyone’s paired off at least. What I mean to say is, your presence there implies that we’re together. Officially.”

“Oh.” Petra wasn’t one to be lost for words. Dorothea had always admired her ability to express herself even in another language. Maybe doing this sooner than they had planned wasn’t the best idea she had, but the morning’s events brought all kinds of thoughts and feelings to Dorothea and she just wanted to be with Petra and show her friends how happy the young woman made her. But to force Petra into that situation wasn’t fair after all the times she’d been patient and understanding for Dorothea’s sake.

“If you don’t want to, I completely understand,” Dorothea added, worried slightly at Petra’s uncharacteristic silence. “I’m sorry, Petra, I should’ve told you earlier.”

The elevator doors dinged open and Dorothea nearly dropped her phone when Petra stepped out, phone still by her ear and smiling so brightly it made Dorothea’s heart thump a quicker beat.

“My apologies,” Petra said as she ended their call and took Dorothea’s free hand in hers. “I was forgetting calls do not work inside elevators.”

“It’s okay.” It was Dorothea’s turn to lose her words, seeing Petra with her beautiful braids in place and having her within Dorothea’s immediate vicinity. Goddess, she was really, truly in love with this woman.

“We are to be meeting with friends?” Petra asked. She pushed the button to call for the elevator and the doors immediately opened for them to step inside.

“Yes.” Dorothea tightened her grip on Petra’s hand and brought it up to her lips to kiss.

“We will be telling them?”

“Yes.” This time she kissed Petra’s cheek, right on the mark below her eye.

“You are wanting this?”

“Yes.” Dorothea didn’t bother to resist the desire stirring in her chest. She leaned down, tilting her head to the side, and kissed Petra. It was meant to be a chaste kiss, just to feel Petra’s lips against hers, but Dorothea’s body was incapable of keeping things simple around Petra. It craved and it demanded and soon she felt the warm press of Petra against her as she backed into the elevator wall and let her tongue slip inside Petra’s willing mouth. Dorothea calculated at least a few seconds to enjoy it before they reached the lobby. And enjoy it she would.

•••

When the elevator doors dinged open, Edelgard was taken aback by the sight of two people getting quite physical inside. Her shock only grew when she recognized the braided magenta hair of Brigid’s future queen.

“Petra?” Edelgard’s voice caused the younger woman to pull away from her partner.

“Good morning, Edelgard. It has been a while.”

It was then that Edelgard’s mind registered Dorothea leaning against the elevator wall, face and neck flushed but probably not from being caught.

“Dorothea?” The pieces clicked and Edelgard felt the warmth of friendly affection bloom in her heart. Dorothea and Petra. She found the idea of the two as a couple quite comforting. They had different personalities but as Edelgard continued to look at them, they seemed to fit well together. Dare she say they made a very cute couple.

A touch on the small of her back caused Edelgard to remember where they were and what they were doing and she turned to see Byleth’s kind smile. “We should go,” the older woman tilted her head towards the still open elevator.

“Oh, yes. To breakfast.” The two of them stepped into the elevator and an awkward silence filled the compartment as the elevator doors closed.

Before the quiet settled, however, Petra cleared her throat. “Are we to be having breakfast together?”

Edelgard’s gaze met Dorothea’s and the two broke into smiles and giggles.

“Yes,” Dorothea confirmed. “I guess we just gave poor Edie quite a shock with our affection.” She laced her finger’s through Petra’s and Edelgard saw the happiness twinkling in Dorothea’s eyes.

“I must say it wasn’t what I was expecting.” She took Byleth’s hand in her own and rolled her eyes at Dorothea’s knowing look.

The elevator shifted to a stop and the doors opened to the building’s lobby. Dorothea and Petra stepped out first. “We promise to keep surprises to a minimum over breakfast, for Hubie’s sake.”

Edelgard snorted and Byleth let out a chuckle of her own. As they exited the building, Dorothea stopped and turned to Byleth, her hand offering a stick of concealer.

“What’s this?” Byleth asked.

Dorothea pressed the make up into Byleth’s hold and turned to continue their walk to the Airmid. “I’m glad the two of you are on time, but I’m sure that bruise on Byleth’s neck wasn’t there earlier and you might want to hide it if you don’t want Hubie to cause a scene.” She turned to look at Edelgard, her face a look of absolute amusement. “I didn’t know you had it in you, Edie.”

Edelgard felt her face heat up and noticed Byleth had a similar glow to her skin. Breakfast was going to be a memorable experience, she just knew it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!


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